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Honor Thy Mother: How to Grieve, Heal, and Make Peace with Your Mother Wounds
A compassionate guide to navigating generational mother wounds and strained relationships with mothers, helping you grieve and move forward in healing through biblical wisdom and practical strategies—from the bestselling author of Church Girl.
Whether you seek to improve your relationship with your mother, recover from past hurts, or simply be a mother who doesn't deeply wound your own child, Honor Thy Mother is your companion on this courageous journey of healing your heart, finding true peace, and drawing closer to God.
Dr. Sarita T. Lyons serves as an honest and compassionate guide, showing you how to confront the difficulties between your idealized mother and reality, shedding light on various mother archetypes, helping you grieve the mother you wish you’d had, and more.
Full of biblical wisdom, hope, and practical advice, this book empowers you to recognize and address your unique maternal challenges. With actionable strategies, like owning your experience, engaging in therapy, practicing spiritual disciplines, building community support, committing to peace, and identifying a spiritual mother, along with discussion questions, journal prompts, and ways to move toward a realistic plan for restoration, you'll find the tools you need to start your journey and learn what it really means to honor your mother. Dr. Lyons offers a path to healing and peace and will ultimately help you bring you the freedom and blessings you long for.
Whether you seek to improve your relationship with your mother, recover from past hurts, or simply be a mother who doesn't deeply wound your own child, Honor Thy Mother is your companion on this courageous journey of healing your heart, finding true peace, and drawing closer to God.
Dr. Sarita T. Lyons serves as an honest and compassionate guide, showing you how to confront the difficulties between your idealized mother and reality, shedding light on various mother archetypes, helping you grieve the mother you wish you’d had, and more.
Full of biblical wisdom, hope, and practical advice, this book empowers you to recognize and address your unique maternal challenges. With actionable strategies, like owning your experience, engaging in therapy, practicing spiritual disciplines, building community support, committing to peace, and identifying a spiritual mother, along with discussion questions, journal prompts, and ways to move toward a realistic plan for restoration, you'll find the tools you need to start your journey and learn what it really means to honor your mother. Dr. Lyons offers a path to healing and peace and will ultimately help you bring you the freedom and blessings you long for.
288 pages, Hardcover
Published August 25, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
August 26, 2026
I've heard Dr. Sarita speak at events, on a podcast and through reading some of her first book, Church Girl. Her thoughtful, colorful and fervent posture toward the Lord and His image bearers drew my interest in reading Honor Thy Mother.
I was an early reader. After getting time in the book I realized this message is for everyone. Don't be fooled by the beautiful floral piece on the book's cover. This book is for males and females alike. "Honor Thy Mother" is for anyone with a mother whether known, unknown, alive, deceased, adopted or fostered.
In Honor Thy Mother, Dr. Sarita is addressing a universal connection. Every human has a mother. All mothers are flawed to varying degrees yet God calls all mothers to be honored by their children (page 10 Exodus 20:12 "Honor your father and your mother so that you may have a long life in the land that the Lord your God is giving you.") What a funky dynamic! In the book Honor Thy Mother, Dr. Sarita masterfully weaves together her words to paint the dynamic between motherhood and servanthood.
One of my favorite encouraging points from the book is on page 33, "...because he is perfect, he is the standard by which everything else will be measured and judged. ...If that is true there is no authority or standard higher than him, meaning no one's opinion of you, including your mother's, is the final authority of your life. Even if you have elevated her critical voice in your head, it must bow to what God has ALREADY declared about you. His word, opinion and vision for your life are JUST AS FLAWLESS as he is." Ephesians 1:19-23 was used to support. Whew!
I was an early reader. After getting time in the book I realized this message is for everyone. Don't be fooled by the beautiful floral piece on the book's cover. This book is for males and females alike. "Honor Thy Mother" is for anyone with a mother whether known, unknown, alive, deceased, adopted or fostered.
In Honor Thy Mother, Dr. Sarita is addressing a universal connection. Every human has a mother. All mothers are flawed to varying degrees yet God calls all mothers to be honored by their children (page 10 Exodus 20:12 "Honor your father and your mother so that you may have a long life in the land that the Lord your God is giving you.") What a funky dynamic! In the book Honor Thy Mother, Dr. Sarita masterfully weaves together her words to paint the dynamic between motherhood and servanthood.
One of my favorite encouraging points from the book is on page 33, "...because he is perfect, he is the standard by which everything else will be measured and judged. ...If that is true there is no authority or standard higher than him, meaning no one's opinion of you, including your mother's, is the final authority of your life. Even if you have elevated her critical voice in your head, it must bow to what God has ALREADY declared about you. His word, opinion and vision for your life are JUST AS FLAWLESS as he is." Ephesians 1:19-23 was used to support. Whew!
August 25, 2026
Honor Thy Mother was an anticipated read for me after reading Dr. Sarita’s book Church Girl. For years, we’ve been inundated with commentary about father wounds and the impact they have on children, but rarely do we see books or commentaries addressing the wounds mothers can inflict. I was excited to read a book focused on mother wounds, and I knew that with her background in psychology, sound theology, and wisdom, Dr. Sarita would handle this sensitive issue with the care and precision it requires. And that she did!
Honor Thy Mother exceeded my expectations. With compassion and wisdom, Dr. Sarita takes readers on a journey to identify where they’ve been wounded while continuously pointing them to the healing and hope found in Jesus Christ. Each chapter is carefully crafted to help readers put into words the pain they’ve endured and then find hope and help in the Scriptures. She leads readers to uncover wounds that may have been repressed, and using her own experience with grief and the loss of her mother, she tenderly guides them through the grieving process.
Dr. Sarita doesn’t minimize or over-spiritualize the pain and grief of being wounded by your mother. But she also doesn’t leave the reader hopeless or alone. She challenges readers to grieve what they didn’t receive without minimizing the loss, while pointing them to the One who can carry them through their grief. She beautifully shows how God can and will use women within the body of Christ to help restore what was broken or missing.
While I enjoy a great relationship with my mother, this book has helped me see where and how we can make our relationship even better. As someone serving in youth and women’s ministry, this book also gives me the insight and language to better recognize mother wounds and help others articulate pain they may not otherwise know how to address.
Every person needs a copy of this book. I believe it should be required reading in seminaries and used in Bible studies and discipleship programs in churches. No matter your race, nationality, gender, or background, we’ve all been shaped by our relationship with our mothers, and this book is a must-read for you!
You will walk away with language for your pain, reminded of God’s love, challenged to grieve what you didn’t receive, encouraged to invite Jesus to heal and transform your pain, and reminded to connect with women who can help restore what was broken.
Honor Thy Mother exceeded my expectations. With compassion and wisdom, Dr. Sarita takes readers on a journey to identify where they’ve been wounded while continuously pointing them to the healing and hope found in Jesus Christ. Each chapter is carefully crafted to help readers put into words the pain they’ve endured and then find hope and help in the Scriptures. She leads readers to uncover wounds that may have been repressed, and using her own experience with grief and the loss of her mother, she tenderly guides them through the grieving process.
Dr. Sarita doesn’t minimize or over-spiritualize the pain and grief of being wounded by your mother. But she also doesn’t leave the reader hopeless or alone. She challenges readers to grieve what they didn’t receive without minimizing the loss, while pointing them to the One who can carry them through their grief. She beautifully shows how God can and will use women within the body of Christ to help restore what was broken or missing.
While I enjoy a great relationship with my mother, this book has helped me see where and how we can make our relationship even better. As someone serving in youth and women’s ministry, this book also gives me the insight and language to better recognize mother wounds and help others articulate pain they may not otherwise know how to address.
Every person needs a copy of this book. I believe it should be required reading in seminaries and used in Bible studies and discipleship programs in churches. No matter your race, nationality, gender, or background, we’ve all been shaped by our relationship with our mothers, and this book is a must-read for you!
You will walk away with language for your pain, reminded of God’s love, challenged to grieve what you didn’t receive, encouraged to invite Jesus to heal and transform your pain, and reminded to connect with women who can help restore what was broken.
August 25, 2026
I learned at an anniversary of my mother’s passing, that Honor Thy Mother by Dr. Sarita Lyons was soon to be released. It was one of those moments of feeling God, my heavenly perfect Parent, reaching down as He knows the milestone better than anyone and saying, “Dear Daughter, I have something for you at this sensitive time.”
While I was so touched that my perfect Parent was yet again showing me that He sees me and deeply cares, I anticipated the book with both trepidation and eagerness.
I have already experienced a significant amount of healing, yet so many tender spots remain, particularly due to people’s expectations I still have to encounter. I hoped the book would affirm my experiences and perspective, while also equipping me with tools as I continue to navigate the residual pain and messiness of a relationship that has a lifelong reach.
Dr. Sarita’s book inspired me as it unlocked a new level of understanding of maternal relationships and wounds. It also helped me recognize more than ever that I do not have to remain under the spell of maternal manipulation! I am reminded that honoring my mother does not mean taking control from God to heal me, and giving control to her authority and the thousands of echoes of her negative talk in my life throughout the decades. In reading Honor Thy Mother I have become empowered to work toward taking back my life more than ever before. It reminds me that I have freedom in Christ, even freedom from the wounds of my mother!
Readers will become equipped with ways to address their scars a bit at a time, and meticulously! Dr. Sarita having the credentials and years of experience as a therapist as well as having a strong theological understanding provides a comprehensive and methodical approach readers can take to work through the pain and heartache that has to this point been a weight to carry. Additionally, the reader will learn new ways to move forward strengthening the health of their various relationships- starting with how they view themselves, and forging new relationships that bring healing to more people.
Anyone who sits down with this book, all the way through, will be enabled as a cycle breaker not only in the lives of their immediate family, but will have the ability to spread cycle breaking far and wide.
While I was so touched that my perfect Parent was yet again showing me that He sees me and deeply cares, I anticipated the book with both trepidation and eagerness.
I have already experienced a significant amount of healing, yet so many tender spots remain, particularly due to people’s expectations I still have to encounter. I hoped the book would affirm my experiences and perspective, while also equipping me with tools as I continue to navigate the residual pain and messiness of a relationship that has a lifelong reach.
Dr. Sarita’s book inspired me as it unlocked a new level of understanding of maternal relationships and wounds. It also helped me recognize more than ever that I do not have to remain under the spell of maternal manipulation! I am reminded that honoring my mother does not mean taking control from God to heal me, and giving control to her authority and the thousands of echoes of her negative talk in my life throughout the decades. In reading Honor Thy Mother I have become empowered to work toward taking back my life more than ever before. It reminds me that I have freedom in Christ, even freedom from the wounds of my mother!
Readers will become equipped with ways to address their scars a bit at a time, and meticulously! Dr. Sarita having the credentials and years of experience as a therapist as well as having a strong theological understanding provides a comprehensive and methodical approach readers can take to work through the pain and heartache that has to this point been a weight to carry. Additionally, the reader will learn new ways to move forward strengthening the health of their various relationships- starting with how they view themselves, and forging new relationships that bring healing to more people.
Anyone who sits down with this book, all the way through, will be enabled as a cycle breaker not only in the lives of their immediate family, but will have the ability to spread cycle breaking far and wide.
September 1, 2026
Mother Wounds and estrangement are a heavy topic and often come with waves of grief, sadness and confusion. I was drawn to this book because of my own experience.
The book met my expectations by pairing deep research and prayer regarding the tension of mother wounds and the powerful healing that can take place between Mothers and Daughters when we take the time to understand what it means to honor whole avoiding being paralyzed by past pain.
I thought I would leave this book feeling defeated and confronted by all the ways I was being a terrible daughter for having boundaries. However, this book challenged me in the ways I can better honor my mother despite the status of our relationship, and also affirmed the ways I have honored her. One of my favorite examples Dr. Sarita shared was in Chapter 10 “Embrace it All” where she used the well known story of Adam and Eve in the garden. They were given a boundary not to eat of the fruit, but could enjoy everything else available. They were given a boundary with a consequence AND abundance. This example offered an opportunity for us to reexamine what is left after we place a boundary with our mothers. Are there any opportunities for abundance to remain?
I believe this book will appeal to a variety of circumstances between Mothers and Daughters. In a world that highlights the importance of boundaries and protecting your peace, this book will offer hope and a roadmap on how to grieve the mother you wish you had and move toward a realistic plan for peace or restoration.
The book met my expectations by pairing deep research and prayer regarding the tension of mother wounds and the powerful healing that can take place between Mothers and Daughters when we take the time to understand what it means to honor whole avoiding being paralyzed by past pain.
I thought I would leave this book feeling defeated and confronted by all the ways I was being a terrible daughter for having boundaries. However, this book challenged me in the ways I can better honor my mother despite the status of our relationship, and also affirmed the ways I have honored her. One of my favorite examples Dr. Sarita shared was in Chapter 10 “Embrace it All” where she used the well known story of Adam and Eve in the garden. They were given a boundary not to eat of the fruit, but could enjoy everything else available. They were given a boundary with a consequence AND abundance. This example offered an opportunity for us to reexamine what is left after we place a boundary with our mothers. Are there any opportunities for abundance to remain?
I believe this book will appeal to a variety of circumstances between Mothers and Daughters. In a world that highlights the importance of boundaries and protecting your peace, this book will offer hope and a roadmap on how to grieve the mother you wish you had and move toward a realistic plan for peace or restoration.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 2, 2026
wow!
I love this book. When I first seen the title I knew I had to have it. It wasn't until the last 5 yrs that there had been any tension in my relationship with my mother and honoring her, the Bible way became something I really needed to lean on the Lord for. When I read the first few pages of this book I knew this was for me. It almost seemed like Gods gift to me because I really love my mom and this season is tough.
I love how Dr. Sarita is very intentional about how she addresses mother wounds and experiences in this book. She is gentle and also very careful to acknowledge the readers feelings. However Dr. Sarita continues to point readers back into the bosom of the Father for His guidance, comfort and wisdom.
This book has exceeded my expectations! The psychological threads interwoven with biblical perspective and healing that only Holy Spirit can bring was the approach I didn't know I needed. I felt and feel carried through my journey.
I'm so inspired to love God more and to love my mother from His eyes. Not grudgingly, but tenderly understanding she is a daughter of His as well. I'm inspired to walk my journey intentionally and genuinely.
I would highly recommend this book to anyone struggling to love their mama. You will laugh & cry while reading and the memories will come up, both good and bad. Dr. Sarita, through Holy Spirit, has written every page to help bring the reader into a biblical and eternal perspective.
I love this book. When I first seen the title I knew I had to have it. It wasn't until the last 5 yrs that there had been any tension in my relationship with my mother and honoring her, the Bible way became something I really needed to lean on the Lord for. When I read the first few pages of this book I knew this was for me. It almost seemed like Gods gift to me because I really love my mom and this season is tough.
I love how Dr. Sarita is very intentional about how she addresses mother wounds and experiences in this book. She is gentle and also very careful to acknowledge the readers feelings. However Dr. Sarita continues to point readers back into the bosom of the Father for His guidance, comfort and wisdom.
This book has exceeded my expectations! The psychological threads interwoven with biblical perspective and healing that only Holy Spirit can bring was the approach I didn't know I needed. I felt and feel carried through my journey.
I'm so inspired to love God more and to love my mother from His eyes. Not grudgingly, but tenderly understanding she is a daughter of His as well. I'm inspired to walk my journey intentionally and genuinely.
I would highly recommend this book to anyone struggling to love their mama. You will laugh & cry while reading and the memories will come up, both good and bad. Dr. Sarita, through Holy Spirit, has written every page to help bring the reader into a biblical and eternal perspective.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This one takes a heavy topic and handles it with so much care that it feels supportive instead of overwhelming. The tone is gentle, honest, and encouraging, and it creates space to actually sit with some deeper emotions.
I appreciated this from a place of already having a healthy relationship with my mom. I’ve been really blessed in that area, but even so, I found myself lifting up prayers for some of the situations and examples shared. It gave me a different kind of perspective and a lot of compassion for stories that are very different from my own.
It balances truth and healing through scripture. It doesn’t avoid the hard parts of mother relationships, but it keeps guiding you back toward growth, understanding, and peace in a way that feels real. A lot of it felt validating and meaningful, even when it wasn’t personally relatable.
There is some repetition, but it felt more like grounding than anything else. The message stays steady, and that consistency made it stick more for me.
Overall, this is a meaningful, healing read. Gentle, thoughtful, and the kind of book that leaves you feeling lighter and more aware of others.
★★★★
I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
www.pinkstinx.blogspot.com
I appreciated this from a place of already having a healthy relationship with my mom. I’ve been really blessed in that area, but even so, I found myself lifting up prayers for some of the situations and examples shared. It gave me a different kind of perspective and a lot of compassion for stories that are very different from my own.
It balances truth and healing through scripture. It doesn’t avoid the hard parts of mother relationships, but it keeps guiding you back toward growth, understanding, and peace in a way that feels real. A lot of it felt validating and meaningful, even when it wasn’t personally relatable.
There is some repetition, but it felt more like grounding than anything else. The message stays steady, and that consistency made it stick more for me.
Overall, this is a meaningful, healing read. Gentle, thoughtful, and the kind of book that leaves you feeling lighter and more aware of others.
★★★★
I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
www.pinkstinx.blogspot.com
August 28, 2026
Cycle Breakers and Peacemakers Arise🌺
Honor Thy Mother appealed to me because the message of the gospel is woven throughout the book. Dr. Sarita Lyons addresses the mother-child relationship through a biblical lens while acknowledging the complexity and pain that can accompany mother wounds.
The book exceeded my expectations. It tackles a difficult and often sensitive topic with honesty, grace, and wisdom. I especially appreciated the moments of humor, which provided a welcome lightness while addressing such a serious subject. Reading this book has been a needed balm to my soul, helping me understand and address my mothering interactions.
The book inspired me to continue discipling women toward spiritual maturity, broadening my understanding of what mothering can look like. It challenged me to recognize and embrace the important role of spiritual mothers in the lives of women who need guidance, encouragement, and godly relationships.
I would recommend Honor Thy Mother to both women and men who want to better understand the significance of the mother-child relationship and how it can shape our lives. The book offers practical wisdom for making necessary course corrections through scripture, journal prompts, prayer, and a network of healthy relationships. It is a meaningful resource for anyone seeking healing, growth, and greater relational and spiritual maturity.
Honor Thy Mother appealed to me because the message of the gospel is woven throughout the book. Dr. Sarita Lyons addresses the mother-child relationship through a biblical lens while acknowledging the complexity and pain that can accompany mother wounds.
The book exceeded my expectations. It tackles a difficult and often sensitive topic with honesty, grace, and wisdom. I especially appreciated the moments of humor, which provided a welcome lightness while addressing such a serious subject. Reading this book has been a needed balm to my soul, helping me understand and address my mothering interactions.
The book inspired me to continue discipling women toward spiritual maturity, broadening my understanding of what mothering can look like. It challenged me to recognize and embrace the important role of spiritual mothers in the lives of women who need guidance, encouragement, and godly relationships.
I would recommend Honor Thy Mother to both women and men who want to better understand the significance of the mother-child relationship and how it can shape our lives. The book offers practical wisdom for making necessary course corrections through scripture, journal prompts, prayer, and a network of healthy relationships. It is a meaningful resource for anyone seeking healing, growth, and greater relational and spiritual maturity.
August 26, 2026
This is one of the most thoughtful and compassionate books I’ve ever read. Dr. Sarita created a space where truth, grief, grace, boundaries, faith, and healing are all allowed to exist in the same conversation.
Healing doesn’t always require reconciliation. It doesn’t require pretending something didn’t hurt. And it doesn’t require waiting for someone else to acknowledge what happened before you decide to move forward.
There is so much grace and compassion in the way Dr. Sarita walks you through such a tender subject. At times, it genuinely felt like she was holding my hand through the process, reminding me that I could face the truth of what hurt while still making room for healing.
Whether you’re a son or a daughter, if you have a mother, there is something here for you.
Thank you, Dr. Sarita, for seeing us.
I received the ARC for a honest review. One of my favorite reads for this year.
Healing doesn’t always require reconciliation. It doesn’t require pretending something didn’t hurt. And it doesn’t require waiting for someone else to acknowledge what happened before you decide to move forward.
There is so much grace and compassion in the way Dr. Sarita walks you through such a tender subject. At times, it genuinely felt like she was holding my hand through the process, reminding me that I could face the truth of what hurt while still making room for healing.
Whether you’re a son or a daughter, if you have a mother, there is something here for you.
Thank you, Dr. Sarita, for seeing us.
I received the ARC for a honest review. One of my favorite reads for this year.
August 25, 2026
Chapter after chapter Dr. Lyons draws from a deep well of wisdom and biblically sound teaching that flows into real‑life application.
It is a needed resource to help us navigate the relationships we have with the people we walk, worship, and work with. I believe much healing will take place for those seeking it. And for those like me - who have healthy mother-daughter relationships - there are many gems found throughout to help nurture and steward your relationships.
As a mom to three young adults, I found this book especially beneficial. We have a great relationship, yet Dr. Lyons helped me see areas where I sometimes miss the mark and where growth is still possible.
I highly recommend this book to those grieving the mothers they have, and to those celebrating the ones who are mothering well.
It is a needed resource to help us navigate the relationships we have with the people we walk, worship, and work with. I believe much healing will take place for those seeking it. And for those like me - who have healthy mother-daughter relationships - there are many gems found throughout to help nurture and steward your relationships.
As a mom to three young adults, I found this book especially beneficial. We have a great relationship, yet Dr. Lyons helped me see areas where I sometimes miss the mark and where growth is still possible.
I highly recommend this book to those grieving the mothers they have, and to those celebrating the ones who are mothering well.
August 25, 2026
Honor Thy Mother is an honest and deeply human invitation to see our mothers beyond who we needed or wished them to be, and to see them as women with their own stories, wounds, struggles, and imperfections.
One passage that really stayed with me was, “The death of the fantasy mother begins with your decision to allow her to die.” Whew! That one made me pause. It challenged me to think about what it means to honor our mothers while still acknowledging the hurt, disappointment, or things we may have needed but didn’t receive.
This book reminded me that love, hurt, compassion, and healing can all exist at the same time. It gave me space to reflect on my mother, myself, and our relationship with greater grace and understanding.
One passage that really stayed with me was, “The death of the fantasy mother begins with your decision to allow her to die.” Whew! That one made me pause. It challenged me to think about what it means to honor our mothers while still acknowledging the hurt, disappointment, or things we may have needed but didn’t receive.
This book reminded me that love, hurt, compassion, and healing can all exist at the same time. It gave me space to reflect on my mother, myself, and our relationship with greater grace and understanding.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I really appreciate a book written on this subject and as a biblical application. Helpful book for all mothers and daughters to read. I will be using some of the suggestions and also am encouraged by the Scripture shared to remind me of the purpose of working through difficult relationships, even if the person on the other end does not want to change.
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